The Magician's Wife

First UK edition. 8vo., [vi], 215, [2] pp. Illustrated maroon paper boards; sewn-in ribbon marker. Dust jacket with die-cut window on front panel and a cellophane insert framing the picture below (priced £15.99 to front flap). Book designed by William Webb. Issued simultaneously with the Canadian Knopf edition.

Author's last novel. The emancipation of a provincial bourgeois wife whose illusionist husband is deployed by Napoleon III to persuade the Arabs to lay down their arms – in thrall to France's superior might and magic. Historical fiction inspired by a true story.

"An entertaining and compelling read, a page-turner of historical intrigue saturated with the political and moral awakening of a fascinating woman." –The Financial Post